Belt driven machines and vehicles have become increasingly popular as advances in belt materials and design have resulted in long lasting drive belts that provide predictable operational characteristics combined with low maintenance requirements. Recreational vehicles, for example, are increasingly employing belts as the primary means for driving the vehicle. Snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, side-by-sides, and even street motorcycles are often fitted with belt drives. Belts can fail over time due to use, and, depending on how and under what conditions the belt is used, they will require replacement at certain intervals. It will be appreciated that a drive belt may damage a machine and/or its engine when the belt breaks or otherwise fails. Thus, as a preventative measure, belts should be inspected, maintained, or replaced at regular intervals depending upon the condition of the belts. However, too often such belts are not properly inspected, maintained or replaced at regular intervals, thereby leaving a user/operator of the machine at potential risk of belt failure during use and collateral damage to the machine and/or engine.
What is needed are methods and systems that are efficient at monitoring the condition of drive belts during use, and providing data that will aid users in predicting when the drive belts will need replacement, adjustment, and maintenance. As will be seen, the disclosure provides such methods and systems that can monitor belt conditions and maintenance needs in an effective and elegant manner.